The Consequences of Sanity
by angel0wonder
Summary: "In case you didn't realize, that girl has a name. Aihara Yuzuko. And she's my stepsister as well as my girlfriend." The teacher rubbed his forehead and muttered the words "absolutely disgusting" under his breath.


What a disaster.

Mei was careful to keep her emotions off her face as she stood on stage at the school assembly. One of the teachers was droning on about some future events, but Mei wasn't really listening. In a few moments that teacher was going to explain that Mei was stepping down from her position as student council president.

-Earlier-

Mei sat in front of a teacher's desk, composed despite the circumstances.

"Well? Do you have anything to say for yourself?" The man asked gravely.

"It won't happen again." Mei said firmly.

"I need more from you than that," The man said with gritted teeth. "You're the student council president. You're set to inherit this school. You are the face of the academy and you must understand the image and example you must set."

"I think I understand better than you think." Mei nearly snapped at him but managed to keep her voice clear.

"No I don't think you do," the man sighed much to Mei's irritation. "If you did, then you wouldn't have been caught having _inappropriate relations_ on campus. With another female student!"

Mei bit the inside of her cheek at the memory. Earlier she and Yuzu were giving each other… ahem 'pony rides' in the student council office during a break, when a group of teachers unexpectedly walked into the room. Needless to say it had been disastrous and horrendously awkward for everyone involved.

"Like I said, it won't happen again." Mei said, doing her damnedest to stay professional in this situation. "We'll keep our relationship entirely off campus. We'll accept the consequences of our actions. What more do you expect from me?"

The man appeared exasperated. "I'm going to need your word that you'll cut off all association with _that girl_ from now on."

Mei frowned severely at that. "Not only do I refuse, but that would be impossible." He appeared baffled by that response. "In case you didn't know, _that girl_ has a name. Aihara Yuzuko. And she's my stepsister as well as my girlfriend."

The teacher rubbed his forehead and muttered the words "absolutely disgusting" under his breath. "Even more reason to cut off relations from her."

Mei felt her fists clenching themselves in her lap. The very idea of cutting herself off from Yuzu simply seemed out of the question. She knew on some level that she was being inappropriate, and that this man probably only saw them as two young reckless lovers. And they were, but they were also so much _more _to each other than that. Her heart and mind were for once in agreement, that she could not comply with this request. "I'm sorry, I don't believe you have the authority to negotiate my personal life."

"Even if it interferes with the school?" The man shot back. "What would your poor sick grandfather say?"

Mei set her jaw when this man decided to bring her grandfather into this conversation. Unfortunately her grandfather was still on leave due to his health. "I don't believe that's any of your business either." She answered quietly. In her head she privately theorized that her grandfather would probably be outraged if he heard of this. He might have warmed up to Yuzu a bit, but her sister had gotten expelled for less.

The teacher snorted softly. "Good thing he's off on sick-leave then."

Mei narrowed her eyes dangerously at the man. "You should watch the way you speak about my family."

"I'm not the one in hot water here," the older man said, steepling his fingers together atop the desk. "Your stepsister is hereby suspended for the rest of the semester."

Mei's eyes widened at that. She had expected consequences, but that was steep. It was practically a promise to deliberately hold Yuzu back a year. "You can't do that!"

"I can and I will," he said smugly. "And if you can't abide by this academy's rules, then I'm going to have to ask you to step down as the student body president."

Mei stood up from her seat then, fists clenched at her sides. "I've devoted _my life_ to this academy-"

"Not enough of it, I'm afraid."

Mei stared at the man with eyes filled with loathing for a moment before she took a deep breath. And it seemed all at once her rage left her and she felt strangely calm. "So be it." The man blinked in surprise as she turned around and headed for the door.

"Are you seriously choosing some _nobody_ over your position?"

"I'm choosing sanity over my position, thank you," Mei corrected him. "I'll have my letter of resignation done by tomorrow." She closed the door politely behind her, mind seething around the thought that he wasn't going to get away with suspending her sister.

And now here she was, at this god-forsaken assembly. Yuzu had been understandably upset when she heard what happened, even if Mei firmly promised that she'd talk to her grandfather about lifting her suspension. But Yuzu just silently fumed as she held Mei tightly that night in her arms. It was unusual for the other girl, and Mei only hoped she wasn't planning on doing anything stupid. Since she was suspended for now, she thankfully wasn't on campus to witness this public execution of her status.

"And in other news, regarding your current student council president, Aihara Mei," Mei's attention was brought back to the present as the droning teacher said her name. "Due to recent behavior, she has been deemed unfit to to be the student council president any further." Immediately the student body started murmuring at the news.

"Really? What did she do?"

"She's been hanging around that troublemaker Yuzu lately, so I'm not surprised."

"I bet it was that chick's fault. We should avenge the president!"

Beside Mei, Himeko started trembling with barely suppressed rage. Mei couldn't blame her friend. Himeko hadn't taken the news that she was stepping down as president too well. Being the vice president, Himeko would now be the new president. Mei had confidence that Himeko would do well as her replacement, so she wasn't _too_ worried in that respect.

The teacher motioned with his hands for the students to quiet down. "I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to share the circumstances of why we're letting her go beyond the fact that she has not upheld the proper image that we've come to expect from our students."

Mei inhaled slowly through her nose, keeping her composure level despite her name being slandered before everyone. She had some words prepared for her departure, mentally planning to explain that she had stepped down of her own volition and clear up any blame that might have been garnered towards her sister. Hopefully with her short speech she could salvage what she could of this situation.

"Aihara Mei, you are dismissed." Mei blinked when the teacher simply motioned her off the stage. She stared at the man, eyes once again filling with barely suppressed loathing as she was denied the chance to leave with any sort of dignity.

Then she felt Himeko's hand grasp her shoulder. "You can stay up here," the smaller girl said with a glare in the teacher's direction. Mei felt proud that the other girl's first act as president was to defy authority. Apparently Yuzu really was being a bad influence on Mei if she was proud of her friend for something like that.

"I'd like to introduce you to your new student council president, Momokino Himeko," the teacher went on. Himeko nodded at Mei and started walking towards the microphone as the teacher walked off stage himself.

Mei started tuning out again as Himeko started speaking, inwardly wondering how she could redeem Yuzu and herself in everyone's eyes. Then Himeko made a startled noise as the microphone was yanked from her hands.

"Sorry, gotta interrupt you for a sec," Yuzu's voice rang out high and clear over the speakers, making Mei's head snap up to stare at the blonde who appeared out of nowhere.

"Hey, yo, wassup," Yuzu started, holding back Himeko with one arm. "My name is Aihara Yuzuko, I'm a second year here. First of all, these assemblies are _still_ too long. So I'll make this quick."

Thankfully everyone seemed too surprised by her appearance to make a move to stop her. Mei was transfixed on the other girl, eyes wide and attentive, not knowing what the hell Yuzu was about to pull now.

"Second of all, this academy is out of its _mind_ if you're letting go a president like Mei!" Yuzu declared in a strong confident voice, much to the shock of the teachers standing around the stage. "I mean, I understand getting punished for… er," Yuzu's confidence rapidly dwindled as she blushed heavily. "For _that_," she settled on vaguely, quickly recovering. "But she shouldn't be forced to resign because of who she wants to be with! That's unfair and just plain _dumb_!"

Mei heard one of the teachers yelling for someone to stop Yuzu and stepped closer to her sister, prepared to protect her. She also spotted Himeko moving to cover Yuzu's back, and out of the corner of her eye she could see Harumi covering the stairs to the stage.

"Mei is the hardest working person in the world! So it's your loss if you decide to let her go."

"Yuzu," Mei whispered urgently, knowing the girl didn't have much time left before she was forcibly removed from stage.

"One last thing," Yuzu said into the microphone. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I, Aihara Yuzuko," the blonde opened her eyes, squeezing the mic tight between her fingers as her words came out with surprising fierceness. "Am in love with Mei!"

The student body erupted with a variety of gasps and exclamations and whistles as Mei couldn't help blushing a heavy red at that. She could hardly hear the commotion over the sound of her own rapidly beating heart. But the teachers made it past Harumi and were making their way up the stairs now.

"Please consider these matters. And lets be friends!" Yuzu flashed a friendly grin at the audience before turning around and grabbing Mei's hand. "C'mon, lets get out of here!"

Yuzu called out a hasty thanks to their friends as she tugged her girlfriend by the hand down the opposite stairs. Mei let herself be pulled along for a few moments, overwhelmed with how quickly that moment had transpired. Before she knew it they were running out the school gates and onto the street. Yuzu gripped her hand tightly and grinned breathlessly at the dark haired girl.

"We're free, Mei!"

Mei took a moment to soak in the other girl's radiant smile before smiling softly in return. "Yeah." And Mei realized that she didn't have to redeem their images. The only thing she had to do was be proud in the way she chose to live. Just like her father realized.

And holding her sister's hand on the run from authority, Mei couldn't be prouder.

By the time they made it home, breathless from their run, the exhilarating high from their escape from the world was coming down.

"You're the biggest idiot I know," Mei said between pants.

Yuzu collapsed backwards onto the bed, displaying her perky grin to the ceiling. "Yep."

"Do you have any idea how hard it's going to be to get the school to forgive your suspension now?" Mei chastised as she climbed onto the bed over Yuzu, sitting atop the other girl's hips.

"Sorry," Yuzu didn't look very sorry as she licked her lips and stared at Mei's mouth.

Mei released a shaky sigh as she leaned down. God, she was so in love with this reckless person. "You're hopeless." she whispered before she kissed Yuzu's lips tenderly. They both held the slow kiss, savoring it.

Yuzu reached up to touch Mei's cheek as they parted, the first sign of sheepishness at her behavior in her eyes.

"I hope I didn't make things harder for you." Yuzu said as she actually started thinking about her impulsive manners. "I just couldn't let you go out like that. If you want, I'll help you be president again!"

"I think you've 'helped' my school career enough," Mei said with a teasing smile that made Yuzu flush. "Don't worry, Yuzu. It doesn't matter now." Mei said, taking the blonde's hand and guiding it under her shirt. Right now she didn't feel like thinking about the mess they'd left behind. She felt freer than she's ever felt, unbound by her status and position. Right now she could do whatever she felt like doing. And that involved spending the next few hours making slow, sweet love to the person who helped free her.

Yuzu gulped thickly, her thoughts swiftly failing her as her hand made contact with criminally soft skin. "Oh… okay, if you say so." Yuzu blushed uncontrollably as Mei guided her hand up her shirt.

It was a day well spent. A few hours later, Mei's eyes blearily opened against her will. She was currently curled up comfortably into Yuzu's naked side, and she could see the sun starting to set through the window. They had understandably passed out after their intense activities earlier. Mei allowed herself to blush hotly at the thought, for 'intense' was a very appropriate word. But she instinctively knew that now was the time to get up, before she permanently ruined her sleep cycle. She raised herself up on her elbows, indulging a minute in the act of caressing Yuzu's contently drooling face and brushing away adorably disheveled hair.

And then she heard her phone vibrate where she had discarded it in her bag. It had been vibrating all day, but this time Mei was certain of who it was. Mei took a deep breath and steeled herself as she left the warm atmosphere of their double bed.

She was right. It was her grandfather.

The first few minutes of their conversation went just about as well as Mei predicted. He yelled and ranted for minutes straight, disappointed in her behavior. During pauses Mei would quietly apologize before he started over, saying that she was turning out like her father. Mei had to smile at that.

Eventually though, her grandfather lost steam and just sighed wearily into the phone. Mei raised a brow at that. The man really was sick if he was already finished after only a few minutes of yelling.

"Do you regret your actions, Mei?" He asked.

"To an extent." Mei answered honestly. She regretted getting caught.

He heaved another great sigh that only someone his age could make. "Once I return, the first thing we're doing is reinstating you as president."

Mei mentally winced. "Actually," she started, feeling a little nervous. "I don't want to be president anymore."

The other end of the line was silent for a good long pause. Mei held her breath. "Do you have any idea what you're saying?"

"Of course I do."

"And this is what you want?"

"I wouldn't mind returning to the student council. I'm sure they're looking for a new vice president." Mei conceded, considering the fact that she actually did enjoy the work and authority. "But I chose to resign myself."

Her grandfather said some things under his breath.

"There is one thing I could use your help with." Mei said in her business voice.

"And what would that be, my dear?"

"Yuzu's suspension."

Again, a pause on the other end of the line. "I heard about what she pulled at the assembly today. My… son's new wife's daughter."

Mei frowned at the fact that grandfather still hasn't accepted Yuzu as a granddaughter. Well, that might actually be for the better, as long as he could accept Yuzu as her girlfriend. "It was rash and impulsive of her, but she meant well." Yuzu probably wouldn't appreciate her making excuses for her, but it couldn't hurt her case.

"Indeed," her grandfather growled unfavorably. Mei waited for a proper response. "Though, the girl does make a good point. You're the best damn president this academy has ever had." Mei sucked in a surprised breath at that. Her eyes stung unexpectedly at the sudden praise. Her grandfather usually wasn't one to hand out gold stars so she never expected them. Her validation in his eyes meant more to her than she realized.

"Are you sure you won't reconsider being reinstated?" He asked in a slightly softer tone.

The dark haired girl glanced behind her at the figure slumbering in her bed as she thought about how to answer. "For a long time, it felt like being president was the only thing keeping me sane," Her tone waxed softer as she relayed something of secret. "But things are different now. I've found something that keeps me... _more_ than sane."

It grew quiet on the other end as he mulled over her words. "That girl also made another good point," he said with something that sounded like reluctance. "Who you choose to be with is no grounds for expulsion. Though, as your grandfather, I reserve the right to thoroughly question your sanity."

"You can question her all you want later," Mei's voice used a playfulness she didn't usually reserve for him.

"So... it's true?"

Mei assumed he meant her relationship with Yuzu. "It's true."

The man grunted tiredly. "We have a lot to discuss, Mei."

"Yes." Mei agreed, but she wanted to get back to the business at hand. "Now, about her suspension..."

Another sigh. "We'll work something out. Considering she's _family_ now."

Mei released a breath of relief. She had been a _little_ worried that he wouldn't help her sister out. "Thank you."

They exchanged a few more sentences before hanging up. They were a family of few words and that wasn't about to change anytime soon. She returned to bed, attempting to rouse Yuzu from sleep by lightly running her fingernails over her naked belly.

Yuzu snorted sleepily, squirming away from the tickling sensation. "Five more minutes…"

Mei shook her head in disapproval but she stopped with the tickling. "One minute." she allowed. She was letting Yuzu to get away with too much lately... Including her heart.

...Mei wondered when her mind turned to cheese. But she didn't terribly mind, since it was apparently one of the side effects of sanity.


End file.
